Springer Knuckles Down

July 22, 1999|By CESAR BRIOSO Staff Writer

Limiting the number of hits by the Braves might lead to a record number of hits on a Dennis Springer web site following Wednesday night's victory.

Believe it or not, a couple of guys in Southern California actually maintain a web site dedicated to the Marlins' knuckleballer called SpringerNation.com. The site was started up during Springer's days with the Angels and comes complete with online T-shirt sales.

"Maybe this will help me sell some T-shirts," Springer joked after beating Atlanta 2-0 Wednesday night at Pro Player Stadium.

It was Springer's second complete-game shutout of the season, the only two shutouts by a Marlins pitcher this year and the only individual shutout by a Marlins pitcher the past two seasons. The Marlins had three team shutouts last year.

Springer (5-10) handed the Braves their fifth consecutive loss, their longest losing streak since September of 1996 when they lost six in a row.

"The guy threw a great game," said Braves starter Greg Maddux, who took the loss despite scattering nine hits in his complete-game outing. "Whatever it was, it was funky tonight."

In fact, Springer threw his funkiest pitch against Maddux, a pitch that had catcher Mike Redmond diving out from behind home plate to stop it and had Maddux flailing at it for a third strike in the second inning.

"The one I struck out Maddux on, I was like, `Wow,' " Springer said. "It was a pretty nasty pitch."

Despite having runners on base in each of the first six innings, Springer knew early in the game his knuckleball was working well and he stayed with it for the most part.

"I was just really aggressive with it," Springer said. "Tonight's shutout and the shutout in Tampa [June 4] were kind of two different games as far as how I pitched with the knuckleball.

That one, I was just throwing slow, slow, slower. This one, I think I was just more aggressive.

Preston Wilson extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a double and an RBI single, supplying Springer with all offense he would need.

In the second inning, Wilson nearly registered his 19th home run, hitting the ball off the top of the American League scoreboard for his 11th double of the season. One out later, Redmond singled down the right-field line to drive home Wilson.

In the sixth inning, Wilson hung in well against Maddux, pulling a hanging curve off the glove of a diving Chipper Jones at third to drive home Kevin Millar with the Marlins" second run.

"He hit me good," Maddux said. "He hit a mistake [in the sixth]. I thought he hit a pretty good pitch off the wall for a double. The guy"s got a chance to be good."

Only Ryan Klesko had much success off Springer -- three hits, including a double in the second

Marlins manager John Boles allowed Springer to come out for the ninth. With closer Antonio Alfonseca warming up in the bullpen, Springer went exclusively with the knuckleball and retired the side on easy ground balls to end the game.

"Dennis was staying in there until he gave up a run," manager John Boles said. "That's the way I was looking at because I thought his knuckleball was that good. He deserved that opportunity to preserve his own shutout."